Scientists Say House Cats Could Help Advance New Cancer Treatments for Humans

Scientists have completed one of the largest genetic studies of tumors in domestic cats, providing new insight into the mutations that drive feline cancer and revealing striking parallels with human and canine cancers. The research, published in Science, is the first large-scale effort to genetically profile cancers in cats and is expected to serve as an open resource for future studies of feline disease.

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of illness and death in cats, but the biology behind these tumors has been poorly understood. By analyzing samples from nearly 500 domestic cats collected across five countries, the international research team identified many of the same cancer-related genes seen in humans and dogs. The findings suggest that cats may offer an important model for studying how cancer develops across species.

One of the clearest discoveries involved feline mammary tumors, where the gene FBXW7 was the most frequently altered. More than half of the tumors examined carried mutations in this gene. In human breast cancer, FBXW7 mutations are associated with worse outcomes, making the feline results especially significant. Researchers also found genetic similarities between cat cancers and human cancers affecting the blood, bones, lungs, skin, gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system.

The study also raised the possibility that shared environmental exposures may influence cancer risk in cats and their owners, since domestic cats live in the same homes and neighborhoods as people. Researchers said this overlap could help explain why certain cancer patterns appear across species and may offer clues to prevention.

A particularly promising result came from tissue-based drug response testing. The researchers found that certain chemotherapy drugs appeared to work better in cat mammary tumors with FBXW7 mutations. While the findings were limited to laboratory samples and have not yet been tested in living animals, scientists said they could eventually inform new treatment strategies for both cats and humans, especially in breast cancer research.

The project brought together experts from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph, the University of Bern and other institutions. The team used DNA from tissue samples originally collected by veterinarians for diagnostic purposes, demonstrating how archived medical material can be repurposed for large-scale genetic research.

Researchers said the work supports the “One Medicine” approach, which links human and animal health research and encourages collaboration across disciplines. They believe the new data may help advance precision veterinary oncology and improve care for cats while also offering broader insights relevant to human cancer studies.

Funding for the research came from EveryCat Health Foundation, the CVS Group, Wellcome, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Swiss National Science Foundation.